Ratapoil c. 1851 - 1929

This oval photograph of Virginia Woolf was taken in 1902 by George Charles Beresford. Virginia Woolf, a central figure in the Bloomsbury Group, challenged conventions through her modernist novels and essays. Coming from a privileged background, Woolf was very aware of the social inequalities that shaped women's lives, and the limitations placed upon them. Her writing often delved into the inner lives of her characters, exploring themes of identity, memory, and consciousness. As a woman, she was denied formal education, yet her intellectual prowess shone through in her prolific literary output, where she developed alternative narratives. Consider how Woolf’s life, marked by both privilege and personal struggles, influenced her art. The photograph captures a sense of quiet contemplation, hinting at the complex layers of her identity and the societal pressures she navigated.